Shloka 28
Nāradasya Rājadharma-praśnāḥ
Nārada’s Examination of Royal Ethics
कच्चित् संवृतमन्त्रैस्तैरमात्यै: शास्त्रकोविदै: । राष्ट्र सुरक्षितं तात शत्रुभिर्न विलुप्यते,तात! मन्त्रको गुप्त रखनेवाले उन शास्त्रज्ञ सचिवोंद्वारा तुम्हारा राष्ट्र सुरक्षित तो है न? शत्रुओंद्वारा उसका नाश तो नहीं हो रहा है?
kaccit saṁvṛtamantrais tair amātyaiḥ śāstrakovidaiḥ | rāṣṭraṁ surakṣitaṁ tāta śatrubhir na vilupyate tāta ||
Nārada berkata: “Wahai anakku, adakah kerajaannmu terlindung dengan baik oleh para menteri yang menjaga rahsia musyawarah dengan ketat dan mahir dalam kitab-kitab tata pemerintahan? Adakah ia aman, sehingga musuh tidak merompak atau membinasakannya?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective kingship depends on competent ministers who are both learned in governance (śāstra) and disciplined in confidentiality; secrecy in counsel and administrative expertise are presented as ethical necessities for protecting the realm from external harm.
Nārada, inquiring into the condition of the ruler’s administration, asks whether the kingdom is being safeguarded by trustworthy, learned ministers who keep strategic deliberations secret, and whether enemies are failing to damage or plunder the state.